Older people’s issues

By P.J. McClean

Right away let us get one thing straight. Us older people are not whiners, moaners or whingers. We don’t complain just for the sake of it. All of us have come through too many of life’s tough battles not to know that fair play must be fought for. And that’s all we want - fair play. Fair play as far as our health and safety is concerned, heating in our homes, adequate spending money and the independence to live in our own homes with a liveable quality of life for as long as we can. All reasonable demands! Are they not being met?

If they were why should we have to march to Belfast’s City Hall in protest, as we did recently? At our age why should we have to confront political parties in Stormont? Why should we have to spell out older peoples’ “quality of life” issues to political parties whose manifestos should bear witness to how they propose to deal with these “bread and butter” political issues?

Yet in that rarified world of Northern Ireland politics we do need to bring the message home to politicians that often, especially in the winter months, older people live with the stark choice- which is it to be - “heating or food” – die of cold or die of starvation and unfortunately statistics show that it comes down to that.

So let’s briefly look at “heating” and “food” Most people, politicians included, will have noted recently that one gas company – Phoenix- raised the price of gas to an unacceptable level. Oil is impossible to budget for with prices fluctuating with yo-yo regularity. Coal is a “no-no” for us older people; dust, ashes, fire hazard, fire setting, kindling, carrying coal, tasks beyond our failing physical capacities.

But fuel poverty is three times higher here than in Great Britain and fuel poverty is related to health – a fact recognised by the Health Authorities who have initiated programmes like the Health Action Zone, Healthy Living and Warm Homes Scheme and have the good intention of eliminating Fuel Poverty by 2010.With 203,000 homes needing special heating assistance the roll-out of the proposed programme, if it is to be met, should be about to commence.

So much for heating. What about food? With levels of income (wages) lower and the price of commodities higher in Northern Ireland is it any wonder that there is a greater dependency on Special Assistance ranging from Income Support (Now Family Credit, DLA, Attendance and Mobility Allowances).

Even so when other needs are met the choice between food and heat is still a stark one. What about our safety? Safety in the home, on the roads, in the community - safety in its entirety – safety from violence against older people, against women, against ethic groups and the vulnerable. Community safety must be about the prevention of crime and the apprehension of the criminal and it must be a community effort using the expertise of a police service whether that be the “bobby, the Garda or the PSNI.”

Yet one of our major political parties is still in denial and the criminal smiles smugly on his way to molest the next old person.
Sinn Fein is not the only party in denial. All the parties at Stormont (with the noble exception of Alliance) went into denial and voted “against” when given the choice of voting “for” free nursing care for older people in residential homes as the Scottish Assembly did. When responding to older people’s demands for free transport they went into denial again in refusing to consider the use of tokens for the majority of older people who could not avail of free transport because they live in rural area of Northern Ireland away from bus or train routes.

The list of older peoples’ issues grows. Even as they read this brief note people should no longer wonder why we were at the City Hall or Stormont. They should only wonder why we weren’t there long ago. But we’ll be back. And in greater numbers! Meantime in the forthcoming election we will reward with our votes those who stand with us for fair play. Our older peoples’ campaign for a better quality of life is not just for us older people. We are not selfish. It is for you too if you are lucky enough to reach our years.

The views expressed by our contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect that of the editorial committee.

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